Tips for Novelists – How to Write Realistic Char
Avoid Common Mistakes in Character Development
Jul 3, 2009
Everyone has a favorite fictional character, and there are some that transcend time and genre. Scarlett, Atticus Finch, Scrooge and others are remembered not only because of the story they inhabit, but because they seem like real people with the same problems, quirks, bad habits and desires as the reader.
What the Reader Wants From a Character
The most successful literary characters are not perfect people. Regardless of genre, the reader wants to care about the characters. They want to cry, laugh, and feel what the character on the page feels. The writer controls this by giving his characters human attributes. This is not as easy as it sounds, because the only connection the reader has with a character is whatever the writer has created with black words on a white page.
Naming a Fictional Character
The novice writer usually thinks long and hard about the names of his characters, making lists, trying out different spellings, and looking for something that will stand out and be unusual. This is particularly true in genre fiction, such as fantasy or romance. The truth is that oddly spelled and hard to pronounce names can cause a problem for the reader.
When an unusual name or spelling of a character, animal or place is introduced, it stops the flow of the reading process and the reader suddenly becomes aware that, of course, he is reading a story. Belief is suspended and analysis sets in. Try to keep the names of the characters pronounceable and simple, even if they're alien names.
Making the Character Believable
In any novel, there's a protagonist and antagonist. The good guy is the one the reader is pulling for to succeed or get away from the bad guy or merely get the girl. But no one is truly good. Everyone has faults, and these faults make the character more realistic. Your character might have an anxious tic, an irritating habit like picking their nose, or a tendency to snort when laughing. She might feed the kids mac and cheese for lunch every day.
Regardless of these faults, the character is still lovable, just not perfect. The more the writer can flesh out the character, the more enjoyment for the reader. It's not necessary to physically describe the character down to every feature. Some characters are barely described at all. It's what they do, think and feel that makes them real.
The same holds true for the bad guy. No one is totally bad. The worst serial killer in the world might feed the stray cats in his back yard every night, or visit his ailing grandmother every Sunday afternoon. Along with the bad, there is also a glimmer of good, and that makes them believable.
Keep Your Character in Character
When working on the story line, it's very easy to allow the plot to take over in the scenes. One thing that must always be considered is the character's reaction. If you've portrayed him as a devout evangelical Christian, it's unlikely he'll burst out in a stream of profanity, unless you've already set him up to do so. The reader may not stop reading the book, but it may cause a suspension of belief.
Whatever the character does should come naturally to the person the writer has created. An insane person will not suddenly become sane unless there's a good reason. A grieving widow will not flirt with the pool boy or start wearing makeup. If they do, the writer must give some clue in a previous scene as to why this is happening. Keep your characters true to who they are.
Character and Portraying Emotion
Of all the things a writer will attempt, realistically capturing the emotions felt by a character is one of the hardest things to do. Some emotions are easier than others. Lust, greed, envy, and anger are much easier to write than loss and grief. It's very easy to end up with a superficial rendering of an emotional scene that leaves the reader feeling cheated.
Even if the writer has experienced these emotions, it may be very hard to write them. All writers protect themselves and shy away from showing too much of who they are in their work. It's also hard to write about something that has never been experienced. In these cases, imagination may not be equal to the task. In this one particular case, age and life experience may have the advantage over youth, but not always. There are many young writers who are able to write these scenes very well.
There is no magical cure for this. If the writer feels things deeply themselves, they may be able to dig the emotions up from experience or imagination and write the scenes very well. If the writer isn't emotionally engaged, the characters may end up flat and unrealistic.
Living With Your Characters
The novice writer is very concerned about plotting out the story and finishing the thing. Eventually, however, their characters should become their constant companions. Writers dream about their characters, think about them at work, and take them on road trips. In time, the writer will pause when writing a scene and mutter, "He wouldn't do that. He would do this."
Once a writer reaches that stage, he has crossed a milestone he won't forget. His character will be realistic, believable, and alive.
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